The Central Directorate of National Savings (CDNS) has decreased the rates of return for its National Savings Certificates, marking amendments across different instruments from November 04, 2024. Return rates for Special Savings Certificates (SSC) have been adjusted down by 12.26 %, and Defense Savings certificates by 12.12 %, the senior official of CDNS told APP here on Thursday. He said that the new decreases were also applied to Bahbood Savings Certificates (BSC) 13.92, Special Savings Account 11.77, and Shuhadas Family Welfare Account (SFWA) 13.92 %. The Central Directorate of National Savings (CDNS) has accomplished a target of Rs 210 billion in fresh bonds and achieved 11 percent of the annual target in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, from July 1 to October 06, he said. The senior official said the CDNS has set an annual target of Rs 1650 billion for the current Fiscal Year, 2024-25, which will promote the saving culture in the country. Similarly, he said that the CDNS has set a target of Rs 170 billion in investment in Islamic finance for the Current Fiscal Year, which will lead to the growth of the Islamic economy in the country. Replying to a question, he said that the CDNS has realized a target of Rs1.742 trillion in fresh bonds and exceeded 100 percent of the annual target in the last fiscal year 2023-24, from July 1 to June 30. National Savings has set an annual target of Rs 1.7 trillion for the year 2023-24, he said adding, “it is encouraging that this year, We surpassed the 100 percent of the annual target.” He said that the CDNS surpassed the annual target and achieved the target of Rs 1.6 trillion in fresh bonds in the previous fiscal year 2022-23. He said this was an Rs 200 billion additional annual target than the target of Rs 1300 billion for the previous financial year 2021-22. The CDNS has set a reviewed saving target of Rs 1.4 trillion for the financial year (2021-22) which will promote a savings culture in the country, he said, adding that given the current market trend in the country, the ambitious target had been set to further improve the savings culture. The official said that work was being done on institutional reforms in CDNS and new reforms and innovations were being introduced. At this time Automated Teller Machine (ATM) has also been introduced in CDNS which will provide enough facilities to the users,” he added.